Marimuthu 1 and B.A. Daniel 2
R. Marimuthu 1 and B.A. Daniel 2
Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO) in collaboration with Elephant Conservation Network (ECN) organized
a series of three “Getting along with Elephants” training workshops in Thailand. This was ZOO’s seventh series of workshops and the previous workshops were held in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia and Nepal. Totally 20 HECx workshops have been organized and 597 people were trained.
The workshops were held at The Pavilion, Rim Kwai Resort, Kanchanaburi, Thailand from 15-24 August 2011. ECN selected participants representing all sectors of the community. Ninety persons (90) participated from 35 different institutions. They all live near villages of Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park, Erawan National Park, Kui Buri National
Understanding elephants past and present
Park, Sai Yok National Park and
distribution through a map activity
Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, which are major human elephant conflict areas. They were community leaders & members, teachers, other school staff and management, farmers, forest/ wildlife department staff, NGO representatives, education officials, Sub-district Associate Organisation officers, university students, village head and its staff, women community leaders and volunteers.
US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund chiefly funded the workshop and other sponsors were Columbus Zoo, USA and Koln Zoo, Germany. The local supporters were Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, Regional Protected Area Administration Office (Baan Pong)- Department of National Park, Wildlife
A participant explaining his illustrations on elephant history
importance and conservation issues Provincial Government and Provincial
and Plants Conservation, Kanchanaburi
presentation in all three workshops on
associated with elephants in Thailand. Education Office, Ministry of Education,
“Asian Elephants-Habitat and
Active learning techniques were used Kanchanaburi.
Conservation scenarios in Thailand”.
Dr. B.A. Daniel and R. Marimuthu of
as they are very effective along with a
range of education materials. The programme was attended by Ms.
Zoo Outreach Organisation and Ms.
Jittin Ritthirat of ECN were the major
Sally Walker, Founder and Director of
trainers and few of ECN staff were
Education Materials
Teaching Guide: this is the primary tool workshop series, Ms. Belinda Stewart-
ZOO and Project Officer of this
intern trainees. Ms. Jittin had been
kit used in the workshops. The Cox, Founder and Executive Director of
invited to the Nepal HECx workshop in
training manual contains a variety of ECN, Mr. Oeb Cheongsaard, Wildlife
February 2009 as a participant and
active learning modules or techniques Director, Department of National Parks,
subsequently she became one of our
to reach a wide range of ages and Wildlife and Plant Conservation-
intern trainees.
educational and social levels, including Regional Protected Area Administration
illiterate or non-English speaking Office, Ban Pong Region and Mr.
The main goals of the training are to
persons. It was developed in English Khanchit Srinoppawan, Chief of
bring about attitudinal and behavioral
and translated into Thai. Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary.
change for people afflicted by elephant
visits. They are taught to avoid
Dr. Mattana Srikajang, Senior
confrontation and conflict and embrace
1 Education Officer, ZOO, Coimbatore.
Researcher, Wildlife Research Division
peaceful coexistence between human
marimuthu@zooreach.org
of Department of National Parks,
and elephant. They learn to 2 Scientist ZOO, Coimbatore.
Wildlife and Plant Conservation gave a
understand the cultural and ecological
badaniel@zooreach.org